MADRID – Anastasia Potapova fell to her knees, put her hands over her face and started crying.
The “outburst of emotions in my heart” came after world No. 56 Potapova defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 at the Madrid Open on Wednesday, becoming the first “lucky loser” to reach the semi-finals of a WTA 1000 tournament.
She squandered three match points in the second set and nearly gave up victory in the third, when she had to come back from a 3-1 deficit against the former world No. 1. This was an impressive performance considering Potapova was eliminated in the qualifying tournament and only qualified for the main draw as a so-called lucky loser due to the withdrawal of another player.
“I had match points on serve several times in the second set, but I couldn’t control my nerves at that time,” she said. “This tournament seems to keep giving me second chances and I keep using it. So, yes, happy dinner.”
Russian-born Potapova said she was energized when her boyfriend, Dutch player Talon Griekspoor, arrived for the match.
“In the third set, I lost a little bit mentally. I didn’t believe in myself at that moment,” she said. “But kudos to my boyfriend for showing up on time. He kept telling me, ‘You can do it, we’re all in this together, just keep going.'”
Potapova said Griekspur was “not afraid” to tell her anything.
“I just played, and mentally he kept me there,” she said. “It happened at a very important moment and gave me a lot of energy. Mentally, I think he made this match a success. I did it physically. He did it mentally.”
She will next face Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 6-0.
According to the women’s tour, Potapova became the first lucky loser to reach the semi-finals since the inception of WTA 1000, or Tier I, in 1990. She has won four straight, including against world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the round of 16.
“I didn’t expect to win the lottery again because they didn’t have my name as the lucky loser at first,” she said. “Then the days went on and no one got hurt or missed, and then at the last moment, literally 30 minutes before the (first round) game, I got word that I was given the chance to be here again.”
She said she had no expectations and was just enjoying “good days” in the Spanish capital.
“Maybe that’s the key, you don’t always have to pay so much attention and focus on the tournament,” Potapova said. It might be nice to have some fun and enjoy the journey once in a while.
She said it feels like a “miracle” to have made this far.
“It’s pretty rare to get a second chance and almost make it all the way,” Potapova said. “But…I always say, if you got it, you probably deserved it. I’m happy that I didn’t waste it, that I transformed it and that I’m here now.”
